Method and apparatus for manufacturing roofing materials



F. B. BURNS Feb. 25, 1941.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING ROOFING MATERIALS Filed Feb. 28, 1938 Patented Fears, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,233,122 ME'rnon Amo APPARATUS Fon MANUFAC- Tunmc. nooFrNG MATERIALS vFrank B. Burns, Chicago, Ill., assigner to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 28, 1938, Serial No. 193,027

1 2 Claims. (Cl. ill-14) The invention relates to roong materials and Ito methods and apparatus for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to the manufacture of roofing shingles having an 5 exposed weather portion of increased thickness and a lap portion ofV reduced thickness adapted to be overlapped by the weather portion of the next adjacent course of shingles, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method, apparatus, and product of this character. Various methods and apparatus-have heretofore been proposed for manufacturing roofing elements or shingles of the character referred Yto above. Foi` example, it has been proposed toy apply to one portion of the usual foundation element a plurality of layers of granule surfaced asphalt or similar plastic material so as to build up a weather portion of increased thickness, the lap l portion consisting of a single vlayer of granule surfaced asphalt. It has likewise been proposed to form the weather portion of increased thickness by employing a single vthick coating: of asphalt forthe weather portion and a thin coating of asphalt for the lap'portion, both portions 25. being surfaced with Ysuitable granules. Such methods, Vof course, require rather complicated and expensive apparatus and an increased amount of plastic and granular material.

Furthermore, roofing elements of this character have been formed by surfacing the weather portion of the element with relatively Acoarse granules and the lap portion thereof with relatively flne granules. In such a construction, however, the raw asphalt coating may be exposed to the weather between the large-granules, and

this condition reduces considerably the weathering characteristics of the element at the very' portions where good weathering characteristics are of primary importance.'

i 40 It isaccordingly a further object of the invenl provided with relatively coarse granules in quantitles insuflicient completely to surface the portion. Thereafter the entire surface of the coated element is provided with a quantity of fine granules so as to'surface the one portion with intermingled -coarse and fine 'granules and another portion with ne'granules only. More specifically, the portion of the coated element which is to form the weather portion of the finished product is sparsely surfaced with the 5 relatively coarse granules by dropping the coarse 'granules onto th'e coated element from a height the element is passed between pressure applying 15 means whereby fine granules are embedded inthe plastic coating in the interstices of the weather `portion and over the entire surface of the lap portion, the pressing means for the weather portion being spaced apart sufciently so that the :20v

coarse granules are not further embedded in the coating. The excess of ne granules is thereafter removed and` the foundation element, which preferably constitutes a continuous web, may be passed through suitable cutting means for sever- 25 ing the granule surfaced web into shingles of' desired shape and size. l

In some cases it may be desirable to deposit the coarse granules by dropping them from a height which is not sufficient to partially embed the 30 granules in the coating, and to thereafter secure the desired degree of embedding by applying pressure either directly on the coarse granules or through the excess of fine granules applied over the coarse granules, .i

For more complete understanding of :the invention reference should now be had to the drawing, in which; i

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational view of an apparatus embodying the present 40 invention which apparatus constitutesone means forcarrying out the improved method hereinf after described and claimed;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; 45

Fig. 3 is a plan view, of a roofing shingle embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 41s an `enlarged sectional view taken along the line ll-d oi Fig; 3.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, 50 in the manufacture of improved rooflngmaterials embodying the present invention a foundation element i0, which in the embodiment here shown preferably constitutes a sheet: or web of saturated roofing felt, is drawn fromga, suitable source of 55 supply (not shown) by a plurality of feed and guide rolls I I and I2, and a plastic coating I3, such for example ashot asphalt, is applied to one surface of the foundation element. Although any suitable means may be provided for applying the asphalt coating to the foundation element, in the present embodiment a plurality of delivery spouts I4 are arranged to deposit the asphalt on the top surface of the foundation element prior to passage of the element through a pair of doctor rolls I5 which form the coating material into a layer of uniform thickness. It will of course be understood that an asphalt coating may be apl plied in any suitable maner to both surfaces of the foundation element or web, if desired, in which case means may be provided for removing all but a thin coating layer from the bottom surface.

From the doctor rolls I5 the coated foundation element passes over a support I6 and beneath suitable granule supply means here shownas a pair of hoppers I1. ranged, as shown, to deliver to selected portions only of the coated surface of the foundation element, a quantity of relatively large coarse granules I8. The areas upon which these coarse granules are deposited correspond to the portions of the foundation element which are to form rthe weather portions of the completed roofing jelements formed by subsequently cutting the foundation element. 'I'hese areas also extend slightly into the portions which are subsequently to constitute the lap portions of the completed element.

Although the invention is not limited to any particular size of granules, a very satisfactory product may be formed from granules of such a size as to pass through a 3 mesh or 4 mesh screen and to be retained on a 6 mesh or 8 mesh screen. Preferably, the granule supply hoppers I1 are arranged a sulcient distance above the upper surface of the coated foundation element so that the granules are dropped from a height such as to cause them partially to embed themselves in the plastic coating I3, thus obviating the necessity of pressing the granules into the coating as a separate operation. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, suitable dividing walls I9 are provided below the hoppers I1 for conning the coarse granules I8 to the desired portions of the coated surface, and in accordance with the present invention, as indicated above, the quantity of granules delivered from the hopper I1 is insufficient completely to surface the portions of the coating I3 upon which these 'granules are deposited. In other words, the coarse granules I8 only sparsely "cover the portions of the coat.-

- ing upon which they are deposited, and accordingly relatively large interstices or valleys of exposed asphalt are left between the granules.

The coated foundation element, selected por'- tions of which are now sparsely surfaced with coarse granules, then passes beneath a second granule supply means, here shown as a hopper 20, which is arranged to supply to the entire upper-surface of the coated foundation element a large quantity of relatively fine granules 2|. These ne granules, which for example may be of such a'.` size as to pass through a 12 mesh o r 14 mesh screen and be retained on a 20 mesh or 24 mesh screen, are applied in sufficient quantity completely to cover the coarse granules I8 so as to ll the interstices or valleys between the coarse granules.

After the delivery of the ne granules 2| to These hoppers I1 are arthe upper surface of the coated foundation element, the foundation element is passed through suitable press rolls 22 and 23 and around a suitable guide roll 24. As shown, the press roll 23 which engages the granule covered surface of the foundation element is provided with portions 25 of reduced diameter, which portions correspond to the areas of the foundation element to which the coarse granules I8 were applied. Thus the portions of the press rolls which engage the coarse granule portions of the foundation element, are spaced apart a greater distance than the portions engaging the areas of the foundation element covered by fine granules only, this spacing of the press rolls being provided so as to prevent forcing the coarse granules deeper into the coating layer I3. l 'I'he excess quantity of fine granules applied over the coarse granules prevents the coating I3 flowing up around the coarse granules and is effective to embed a quantity of the fine granules in the coating layer at the interstices o r valleys between the coarse granules.

Likewise, a quantity of ne granules is uniformly embedded in the portion of the foundation element to which the fine granules only are applied. As the granule surfaced coating element passes around the lower press roll 22, the excess quantity of fine granules drops oi of the surface of the foundation element, a suitable trough or receptacle 26 being provided, as shown, to receive the excess of fine granules.

Thus after the excess of the fine granules has been removed from the granule surfaced foundation element, there is produced an uneven surface on selected portions of the product thus formed in which the peaks are the coarse granules and in which the depressions between these granules are completely surfaced with fine granules. This difference in surface elevation is effective to accentuate the appearance of ruggedness and shadow lines.

While the invention is not limited to granules of any particular color, it has been found advantageous to use line granules of a contrasting color with respect to the coarse granules. Thus, if the coarse granules are of a light color the use of a relatively dark color for the fine granules serves to accentuate further the shadow effects in the interstices or valleys between the coarse granules so as to give an impression of depth and massiveness to the weatherportion of the completed element. f

From the guide roll 24 the granule surfaced foundation element is led to suitable cutting means where, after being sufficiently cooled for example by passage through suitable loopers (not shown), the continuous web or sheet is cut into suitable roofing or siding elements. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the cutting means comprises an anvil roll 21 and a cutting roll 28 having a plurality of cutting blades 29 arranged at predetermined vintervals about the periphery thereof, and a `plurality of annular blades 30 so that as the continuous web or sheet passes between the cuttingrolls 21 and 28 it is severed along the longitudinallines 3| 32, and 33 (Fig. 2) and slotted at predetermined intervals to form shingle elements of the type shown in Fig. 3.' A1- though the shingle element 34 shown '-in Fig. 3

weather portion thereof, it will of course be un-l derstood that any desired number of tabs may` be provided, the cutting roll 21 being also arranged to sever the web into lengths having the desired number of tabs. The tabs may, of course, be of any desired shape. l

and the interstices or valleys between the coarse of sufdcient ywidth to form four of the shingles 34 from each selected length thereof, the hopper i1 being arranged to apply coarse granules to two definite parallel strips, it will of course be understood that webs of any desired width may be provided, the hopper i1 being correspondingly arranged to sparsely surface selected areas, as desired, to ,form any suitable lnumber of shingles from each selected length of the web.

As shown best in Fig. 4, the roofing element formed in accordance with the present invention is provided with a relatively thick weather portion, the coarse granules I8 being effective to increase the thickness of the weather portion granules are completely covered with line gran ules 2|, which granules also completely cover the lap portion of the shingle or roofing element.

While the improved roong eleme t as 'dewith a plastic coating of uniform thickness. it will be understood that the invention is `not limited thereto as the1 plastic coating may, within the scope of the invention, be formed so as to provide a relatively thick coating on the area of the foundation element subsequently to becovered with coarse granules. This thick coating ay be of uniform thickness or may be slightly' tapered, but by properly proportioning the size .and quantity of the coarse-granules, the size and quantityof the fine granules, and the character of the pressing operation, the provision of such a relatively thick coating for receiving the coarse granules will in most cases be found unnecessary. It will likewise be understood that if de- `sired a quantity of coarse granules may be applied to the bottomlsurface of the weather portion of the roofing element in order to increase the thick butt effect, or intermingled coarse and ilne granules may be applied to selected portions of both the top and bottom surfaces of the roofing element. f

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course.. that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming roofing materials which comprises applying a plastic coating toa foundation element, applying tn a portion only of said coated element intermingled coarse and 'ilne granules, and applying torother portions of said element a quantity of relatively ilne granules, whereby one portion of said element is surfaced with intermingled coarse and ilne granules and another portion is surfaced with fine granules only.

2. The method of forming roofing materials which comprises applyinga plastic coating to a foundation element, applying to a portion only of said coated element coarse granules in quantities insuflicient completelyto, surface said portion, and subsequently applying to the entire coated surface of said element a quantity of relatively iine granules., whereby said one portion of said element is surfaced with intermingled `coarse and iine granules and the remainder of said element is surfaced with ne granules only. 3. The method of forming roonn materials which comprises applying a plastic ccatinl t0 a foundation element, applying to a portion only of said coated element coarse granules in quantities insumcient completely to surface said portion, and subsequently applying tothe .entire coated surface of said element a'quantity bf relatively ilne granules of different color than said coarse granules; whereby one portion of said element is surfaced with intermingled coarse and fine granules of different colors and another portion is surfaced with relatively line granules to the granule coated element to embed granules in said plastic coating, and removing the excess of fine granules.

5. The method of forming roofing materials u which comprises applying `a plastic coating to a foundation element, applying to a portion only of said element a quantity of coarse `granules by dropping said granules onto said element from a height sufcient to cause said granules to be embeddedin saidcoating, the quantity of said coarse granulestbeing insufficient completely to surface said portion, and thereafter applying to said one portion and to other portions of .said' element a quantity of fine granules, whereby one portion of said element is surfaced with intermingled coarse and iine lgranules yand another portion is surfaced with line granules only.

foilndationelement, applying to a portion only of saidelement a quantity of coarse granules by dropping said granules onto said element `'from a height sufficient to cause said granules to be enibedded in said coating, the quantity of said coarse granules -being in suiiicient completely to entire coated surface ofsaid element an excess quantity lof relatively fine granules, applying embedded in said coatinmjhe quantity of said coarse granules being insumcient completely to surface said portion, and thereafter applying to the entire coated surface of said element a quantity of relatiiely ilne granules of diiferent color than said coarse granules, whereby one portion of saidelement is surfaced with intermingled coarse and fine granules of different colors and another portion is surfaced with relativelyne granules of uniform color. l

8.`The method of forming rooting materials which comprises applying a 'plastic coating to a foundation (element. applying to a portion only# of said element a quantity of coarse granules by" 6. The method of forming roofing materials which comprises applying a plastic coating to a surface said portion, thereafter applying to the l dropping said granules onto said element from l Vhaving the weather portion thereof of one thickness and the lap portion thereof of another thickness, which method comprises Iapplying a plastic coating to a base member, applying to that portionv of the coated base member which is to form the .weather portion of `the shingle coarse granules in vvquantities insufficient completelyV to surfacethe weather portion, and thereafter applying. to bothsaid weather portion and l the-portionvof `said base member which is to form the .lap portion ofsaid shingle a quantity of relatively fine granules; whereby the weatherportion of. said shingle is surfaced with intermin- .gled'coarseand fine granules and the lap portion of said shingle .is surfaced with fine gran-V ules only.

10. The method of forming a roofing shingle having the weather portion thereof of one thickness and the lap portion thereof of another thickness, which method comprises applying a plastic coating to a base member, applying to that portion of the coated base member which is to form the weather portionI of the shingle coarse granules in quantities insufficient completely to surface the weather portion, thereafter applying to the entire coated surface of said base member an excess quantity of relatively fine granules, ap-

plying pressure to the granule coated base member to. embed granules in said plastic coating and removing the excess of fine granules, whereby the weather portion of said shingle is surfaced with intermingled coarse and fine granules and thel lap portion of lsaid shingle is surfaced with fine granules only.

1l. The method of forming a roofing shingle having the weather portion thereof of one thickness and the lap portion thereof of another thickness, which method comprises applying a plastic jcoating to a foundation element, applying to that portion of the coatedl element which is to form the weather portion of the shingle a quantity of coarse granules by dropping said granules onto said element from a height suiiicient to cause said granules to be embedded in said coating, the quantity of said coarse granules being insufficient completely to surface said (portion, and thereafter applying to both said weather portion and the portion of said element which is to form the lap portion of said shingle a quantity of relatively n ne granules of different color than said coarse granules, whereby the weather portion of said shingle is surfaced with intermingled coarse and fine granules of different colors and the lap portion of said shingle is surfaced with fine granules of uniform color.

12. In an apparatus for manufacturing roofing` shingles, the combination of means for applying-a plastic coating of uniform thickness to a web, means for depositing on the portion of said web whichv is to form the weather portion of the shingles a quantity of coarse granules, said depositing means including granule feeding means arranged to deliver granules in quantities sufficiently only sparsely to cover said portion, said granule feeding means being disposed above said web at a height sufficient tov cause the coarse granules dropping therefrom to embed themselves in said coating, means for depositing on the entire surface of said web an excess quantity of ne granules, the fine granules deposited on said weather portion flllingthe spaces between said coarse gr'anules, means for applying pressure to said web to embed a portion of said ne granules in said coating, means for removing the excess lof ne granules, and means for cutting said web to provide shingles having a weather portion surfaced with intermingled coarse and fine granules and a lap portion surfaced with fine granules only.

' FRANK la. BURNS. 

